Controlling sewing-machine motors



Mar. 2 7,` 1923l 1,449,828

D. S. MAlMlN ET AL CONTROLLING SEWING MACHINE MOTORS 1"'LledFob. 9, 19202 sheets-sheet l (Enq/L v4. rg-m4 Mar. 27,1923l 1,449,828

` D. S. MAIMIN ET Al.

CONTROLLING SEWING MACHINE MOTORS Filed Feb. 9, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES Price.

DAVID S. MAIMIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND THOMAS VEITCH, OF ENGLEWOOD,NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS LT H. MAIMIN COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION 0F NEWYORK.

CONTROLLING SEWING-MACHINE MOTORS.

Application filed February 9, 1920, Serial No. 357,254. RenewedSeptember 2, 1922. Serial No. 586,021.

and Englewood, County of Bergen, andl State of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in `Controlling Sewing-MachineMotors; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled1n the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in controlling sewing machinemotors and is particularly adapted for use in connection with motorswhich are mounted to swing about axes adjacent to the wheels of sewinmachines and b'e held in operative relation to the wheels of themachines by their own weight, whenever it is desired that the machineslbe driven, but which may be taken out of such relation whenever it isdesired to stop the machines. Power may be transmitted from the motorsto the machines by means of friction pulleys on the shafts of the motorswhich are brought into engagement with the ha'nd wheels by allowing themotors to fall toward the machines; or

pulleys on the shafts of the motors may be connected by belts to pulleyson the shafts of 'the machines, in which case the motors will vbearranged to fall away from the machines to apply tension to the drivingbelts.

In the copending application of Hyman Maimin, Serial No. 343,216, filedDecember 8, 1919, there is shown an arrangement of this kind in whichthe position of the motor is controlled by means of a' treadle connectedto the motor by a cord or the like and adapted to be actuated by aspring to swing the motor in such a manner asto disengage thefrictionpulley from the hand wheel, or slacken the driving belt, as the case maybe, wherever it is desired to stop the machine. lVhen the effect of thespring is overcome byu pressure upon the treadle, the motor will swingby gravity into position to transmit power to the machine, either bymeans of a friction pulley, or by means of a driving belt. For mostrapid production it is generally considered that best results areobtained if sewing machines are normally operated at a predeterminedspeed to which the operator is required to conform in the performance ofhis work. In'the apparatus of the copending applicatlon referred toabove, there is a flexible or lost motion connection between the treadleand the motor, and this connection is so arranged that the normalmovement imparted to the treadle will be sufficient to slacken theconnection, so that the motor will be held in operative relation to themachine 'byits own weight unaffected by the opposing effect of the,treadlev spring. The arrangement does, however, permit the speed of themachine'to be controlled, for if the treadle is not pressed downwardlyt`o its full extent, the flexible connection will remain taut andbalance the weight of the motor, so that the pressure with which itsfriction pulley is held against the hand wheel of the machine will belessened; or, 1n case a belt drive is employed, the effect of the weightof the motor in producing belt tension will be partly overcome. Ineither case there will be more slip in the driving connections, whichwill result in decreased speed of the machine.

Vith arrangements of the character described above, the motor isrequired to swing through only a comparatively small arc between itsextreme positions, and through an even smaller arc when its position ischanged to alter its frictional engagement with the pulley or to changethe tension of `the driving belt to produce changes .in the speed of themachine. In order to impart the required movement to the motor to permitthe machine to be started and stopped and its speed to be controlled, itis necessary that the connection between the motor and the Atreadle beaccurately adjusted, and that the treadle be located in a definiteposition to maintain this-adjustment; for variations in position of thetreadle with a given length of cord will affect the position of themotor and prevent it from occupying its proper position with respect tothe sewing machine to secure the desired control. In order that thetreadle may be kept -in proper position it must be fastened in place orbe of relatively massive construction.

It is an object of this 4invention to provide an arrangement forcontrolling sewing machine motors mounted in the manner described above,which shall permit the use fil) of a light and simple treadle which maybe placed at any convenient point, or mayeven be changed from time totime without affecting the adjustment of the parts of the device. Thisobject of the invention is attained by the provision of an actuatingmember associated with the motor and connected to the treadle or othercontrolling device by a flexible, incompressible member, within whichare means for controlling the actuating member, in accordance with themovement of the treadle or other device.

In arrangements such as described above, in which the machine iscontrolled by changing the position of the motor, the latter may bemounted upon a suitable bracket adapted to be attached to the frame ofthe machine so as to leave the table of the sewing machine 'free; or thevmotor may be mounted upon a support attachedto the table of themachine, which arrangement is particularly adapted for those cases inwhich the frame of the machine carries mechanism which might interferewith the attachment of a bracket thereto. In those cases in which themotor is mounted upon the table of the machine; it may be desirable toplace the motor below the table; and in the copending application ofHyman Maimin, Serial No. 350,- 243, tiled January 8` 1920, there isshown an arrangement of this character in which Athe support is soconstructed that it may be attached to the top or to the bottom of thetable, as may be desired, and in which the lost motion connectionbetween the treadle and the motor is obtained by means of a levermounted onthe support and having one arm adapted to be brought intoengagement with the motor when it is mounted above the table, and asecond arm adapted to be brought into engagement with the motor ,whenthe support is inverted to bring the motor below the table.

In order that the apparatus of the present invention may possess thegreatest utility. it is so constructed that it may be used forcontrolling the position of a motor mounted upon a bracket adapted to beattached to the frame of a sewing machine; or it may be used forcontrolling the positioli of a motor mounted upon a support which may beplaced on top of the table or below the same. In order to avoid the useof different pieces of apparatus for different arrangements of mountingthe motor, the element by which movement is imparted to the motor is soconstructed that it may be used when the motor is mounted above thetable, or when it is below the same, by simply reversing its position:and the mechanism connected to the treadle is so constructed that it maybe conveniently and quickly attached to the elementI in either positionyof the element.

The particular nature of the invention, as

well as other objects and advantages thereof, will appear more clearlyfrom a description of certain preferred embodiments, as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in

which- Fig. l is an end elevation of a sewing machine showing the motormounted on top of the table and arranged for a belt drive;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in sectionof part of the controlling mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the treadle;

Fig. 5 is an end view of a sewing machine with the motor arranged belowthe table of the machine and adapted to be controlled by liquid pressuremechanism;

Fig. 6 is an end View of a machine in which the motor is'mounted upon abracket attached to the frame of the-machine; and

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the interchangeable element used forcontrolling the position vof the motor.

The sewing machine illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in thedrawings, comprises a table 10 carried upon standards 11 and serving asa support for the frame 12 which consists of a vertical portion and ahorizontal portion carrying at its outer end the usuall casing withinwhich the mechanism for reciprocating the needle is mounted. thismechanism being driven by a shaft carrying a belt pulley 13 and a handwheel 14. An electric motor 15 is provided for driving the machine bymeans of a belt 16 passing over pulley 13 and over a pulley on the shaftof the motor. The motor 15 is provided with lugs 17 adapted to receive apin 18 extending between the standards of a pedestal 19 having a 'latbase 20 adapted to engage the top or the bottom of the table 10, and aflange 21 adapted to engage the edge of the table and be attachedthereto by means of screws 22 passing through the flange.

For the purpose of controlling the position of the motor. there isprovided a lever 23. the construction of which appears most clearly inFig. fand which is preferably mounted upon the pin 18 between thestandards of the pedestal. One of the arms 24 of the lever is providedat its outer end with a lateral extension 25 having a slot and aperture26 for the attachment of the controlling mechanism. The other arm 27 ofthe lever is provided with a lateral extension 28 having a slot andaperture 29. and this arm is also provided with a projection 30 adaptedto be brought into engagement with the casing of the motor when thelever is rotated. The lever is provided near its pivot with an extension31 adapted to engage a pin 3 2 projecting from one of the standards ofthe pedestal to limit the movement of the lever and cause the latter toact as a stop to limit the movement of the motor toward the machine.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the motor iscontrolled from a treadle by means of a mechanical connection, whichemploys as part of its structure a flexible medium consisting of anincompressible guide member and an inextensible operating member whichis commonly known as Bowden wire. Projecting from t-he liange 21 of thepedestal 19 is abracket 33 provided with an aperture adapted to receivea socket 34 on the end of a cylinder 35 within which is slidably mounteda cylinder 36 provided at Aits upper end with an extension 37 adapted tolit within one of the apertures 26 or 29 in lever 23, according to theposition of the latter. l/Vithin the cylinders and 36 is a spring 38which normally tends to separate the cylinders and swing the lever 23 ina direction to tilt the motortoward the machine and slacken the drivingbelt16 as indicated in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of overcoming the effect of spring 38 so as to draw thecylinder 36 within the cylinder 35 to permit the motor to swing awayfrom the machine, there is provided an inextensible wire or cable .39,which at its upper end is connected to a button 40 adapted to be seatedupon the top of the extension 37. rPhe cable 39 passes through the coilsof the spring 38 and then through a guide 41 attached to the lower endof cylinder 35 and consisting of a length of coiled wire, each turnabutting the next one, thus constituting an incompressible member, suchas forms one of the elements of a Bowden wire. y I

The cable 39 and its guide 41 extend to a A treadle structure comprisinga base 42 having an upright portion 43 to the outer face of which theguide 41 is attached by means of a socket 44. The cable 39 passesthrough the upright portion 43 and along the outer face of a mem-ber 45which is attached to a treadle 46 pivoted as at 47 between lugs locatedat the junction of the portions 42 and 43. The treadle 46 carries a.plate- 48 which is preferably roughened so that a firm grip may beobtained with the shoe of the operator.

In assembling the mechanism described above the bracket 19 is fastenedto the table 10 in proper position to bring the pulley on the shaft ofthe motor in alinement with the machine pulley 13. The cylinder 35 isthen placed upon the bracket 33 with its extension 34 passing throughthe aperture in the bracket. The bracket may be provided with a slotcommunicating with the aperture and through which the member 41 may beinserted to permit the extension 34 to be seated im the aperture. Bydepressing the treadle 46 the cable 39 may then be drawn throughitsguide 41 to draw the cylinder 36jinto'the the treadle is released thesprin cylinder 35 against the action of the spring 38 so that theextension 37 may be inserted in the aperture 26 of the lever 23. Whenlift the cylinder 36 out of cylinv er 35 so 38 will that the top ofcylinder 36 will come into engagement with the extension 25 of lever 23-and move the lever in a direction to swing the motor toward the machineand slacken the driving belt.

When it is desired to start the machine into operation the treadle 46will be depressed to overcome the effect of the spring 38 and thus drawthe cylinder 36 into the cylinder 35 so as to permit the motor to fallaway from the machine until the belt has become sufficiently tight topermit power to be transmitted to the machine. Preferably the partsshould be so constructed and proportioned that when the treadle isdepressed to its maximum extent the cylinder 36 will be drawnsuiiiciently within the cylinder35 to take the top of the cylinder 36out of Contact with the extension 25 of the lever, under whichconditions the driving belt will be maintained underltension by theweight of the motor unaffected by any opposing effect of the spring 38.As a result of this arrangement the machine may be driven at thepredetermined maximum speed regarded as suitable for the most efiicientoperation. In case it is desired to lessen the speed of the machine, thetreadle may be lifted sufficiently to permit the spring 38 to lift themotor slightly to partially overcome the effect of its weight upon thetension of the driving belt. There will thus be produced between thebelt and the pulleys to which it isconnected a certain amount of slipwhich will cause a decreased speed of the machine without requiring thatthe speed of the motor be changed by means of a rheostat or similardevice.

Since the motor is mounted to swing about a pivot lying below its centerof gravity, a sudden release of theitr'eadle might cause the spring 38to throw themotor over to the other side of its pivot; in which case itwould be in such a position that a subsequent "depression of the treadlewould not allow the moto-r to assume its operative position with respectto the driving belt. it is therefore desirable to provide an arrangementfor limiting the movement of the motor when it is lifted so as to5slac'ken the driving belt. The mechanism shown herein is so designedthat when the :projection 31 on lever23 engages vthe pin 32 theprojection 30 will be in position to limit the movement of the motortoward the machine and prevent it from being thrown-over to the otherside of its pivot.

It has been found in practice that it is somewhat disconcerting tocertain operators as indicated in Fig. 5, and the lever 23 is mounted.

mounted upon the pin 18 in a position reverse to that which it occupiesWhen the pedestal is mounted upon the top of the table, as in Fig. 1.lith the motor mounted belouv the table it is necssary that it be liftedtoward the machine to slacken the driving belt when it is desired tostop the machine. Fig. 5 shows mechanism for controlling the positionot' the motor based upon the use of liquid pressures instead of upon amechanical connection as in Fig. 1; but it Will be understood that themechanism of this last named figure may be employed for controlling theposition of the motor when it is mounted belovv the table; and also thatthe liquid pressure mechanism shown in Fig. 5 may also be employed forcontrolling the position of the motor when the latter is mounted abovethe table.

The controlling mechanism shown in Fig. 5 comprises an expansible member50, to one head of which a tube 51 is connected and the other head ofwhich carries a member 52 provided with a pin 53 adapted to lit- Withinthe aperture in the bracket 33 projecting from-the pedestal upon Whichthe motor is The expansible member 50 is adapted to be seated upon theextension 28 projecting from the arm 2T of lever 23, with the tube 51passing through the aperture 29.

The treadle adapted to be used with the controlling mechanism of Fig. 5comprises a base 54 having an upright 55 Which serves as an abutment forone end of a coiled spring 56. The other end of the spring is inengagementwith thehead 57 of an expansible member 58, having itsinterior in communication Kvith the tube 51. The other head 59 oftheexpansible member is attached to the base 54 and thus serves as asupport for the member. The treadle 60 is connected by means of a pin 61to the head 57. j

The expansible members 50 and 58 and the tube 51 are filled withsuitable liquid. When the treadle is released the spring 56 compressesthe eXpansible member 58 and forces liquid out of the same into theexpansible member 50 which is thus -distended and by means of the lever23 lifts the motor toward the machine to slacken the driving beltsufliciently to prevent any power being transmitted. In order to drivethe machine the treadle is depressed to overcome the effect of liscompletely depressed the liquid may flow from the `expansible member 50sufficiently to prevent this member from having any et'- fect upon themotor, with the result that the tension in the driving belt dependssolely upon the Weight of the motor and iS unaf fected by any opposingei'ect produced by the spring 56. The motor of the machine may thus bedriven at the predetermined speed required for most eilicient operation,but if at any time it is desired that the speed of the machine bechanged the treadle may be released sufficiently to permit the spring 56to force liquid out of the expansible member 58 into the expansiblemember 50 to exert a lifting eiiect upon the motor. so that Slip mayoccur between the'pulleys and the belt with resulting decrease in thespeed of the machine.

f In some cases it may be desired to mount the motor upon the Jframe ofthe machine, and in Fig. 6 there is shown an arrangement of thischaracter in which the motor is mounted upon a bracket like that shownin the copending application of Hyman Mai- The depending portion ofmember 65 is turned upwardly as at 67, thus forming a hook Within whichthe main supporting member 62 may be received. The free end of the mainsupporting member is bent outivardly and carries a bracket 68 having apivot pin 69 upon which the motor 15 is mounted. One of the members ofthe bracket 68 is provided with extensions 70 and T1` which serve asabutments for the cylinder 35 of a controlling mechanism, suc-h as shownin Fig. 1 and described above. The other cylinder 36 of the controllingmechanism is connected to a lever 72 similar in general construction tolever 23.

As shown in Fig. 6 power may be transmitted from the motor to themachine by means of a driving belt, but the mechanism shown in thisfigure may also be u sed for supporting the motor in such a positionthat a friction pulley on the shaft of the motor lon lof as defined inmay brought into engagement with the hand wheel 14 of the machine. Inthis case the motor` is arranged to fall toward the machine when thelatter is to be driven and the cylinder 35 is mounted upon the extension71 and the lever 72 is placed upon the pivot'pin 69 in reverse position.As thus arranged thespring 38 between t-he cylinders 35 and 36 willnormally lift the motor away from the machine. j

Since the motor is mounted aboveits pivot, with both forms of drive, itis necessary to provide stop mechanism for preventing the motor frombeing thrown over its pivot upon a sudden release of' the treadle. Whenthe motor` is mounted for a belt drive as' sho-wn in Fig. 6,. the stop31 is arranged to be brought into engagement with a pin 32 to limit themovement of the lever and cause its extension 30 to act as a stop forthe motor. When the motor is arranged for a friction drive the leverv isreversed upon the bracket, and in this case the stop 31 engages theother side of the pin 32 to limit the .movement of the motor as it isswung away from the machine.

While the form of mechanical controlling mechanism employing a Bowdenwire has been shown in connection with the apparatus of Fig. 6, it willbe understood that a liquid pressure mechanism such as has been shown inFig. 5 may be employed for controlling the position of the motor. Itwill also be understood that various other changes in the details ofconstruction of the several embodiments of the invention may be madewithout departing from the principle therethe appended claims.

We claim: 1. In a sewing machine provided with a driving wheel, andamotor mounted to swing about an axis adjacent to the wheel andto be heldin operative relation to the wheel of the machine by its own weight-thecom ination of controlling means adapted to be actuated by an operator,an actuating member associated with the motor, and an operatingconnection between the controlling means and the actuating member comprising a flexible, incompressible membea` and means withinl` the memberfor moving the actuating member inaccordance with with the movement ofthe controlling member.

2. In a sewingmachineprovidedwith a driving wheel, and a motor mountedto swing about an axis adjacent to the wheel and to be held in operativerelation to the wheel of the' machine by its own weight the combinationof a treadle, an actuating member associated with the motor, a fixedmember associated with the treadle, a fixed mmber associated with theactuating member, a flexible, incompressible member connected betweenthe fixed members, and means within the flexible member for moving theactu! ating member in accordance with the movement of the treadle.

3. In a sewing machine provided with a driving wheel, and a. motormounted to swing about an axis adjacent to the wheel and tobe held inoperative relation to the wheel of the machine by its own weight thecombination of means for lifting the motor out of operative relation tothe wheel of the machine, means adapted to be actuated by an operator, aflexible, incompressible member, fixed at its ends adjacent to each ofsaid means, and means within the flexible member connected to thelifting means and the means adapted to be actuated by an op- `elratorwhereby )the effect of' the lifting means may be overcome by an operatorto permit themotor to move into, operative relation to t-he wheel of themachine by its own weight.

4. In a sewing machine provided with a driving wheel, and a motormounted to swing about an axisadjacent to the wheel and to be held inoperative relation to thc wheel of the machine by its own weight thecombination of a spring for lifting the mo\ tor out of operativerelation to the wheel of the machine, a treadle, an abutment for one endof the spring, a flexible, incompressible member conected to theabutment, a mount- ,ing for the other end of the flexible member, aninextensible member within the flexible member and connected between thetreadle and the other end of the spring for overcoming the effect of thespring to per mit the motor to move into operative relal `tion to thewheel of the machine by its own weight. l

5. Ina sewing machine provided with a driving wheel, andv a motormounted to swing about an axis adjacentto the4 wheel and to be held inoperative relation to the 'wheel of the machine by its own rweight thecombination of a cylindrical member mounted adjacent to the motor, asecond cylindrical member mounted within the first -named cylindricalmember and operatively connect?`- edy to the motor, a spring within thecylindrical members forv separating them to lift the motor out ofoperative relation to the wheel of the machine,- a flexible,incompressible member connected to the first named cylindrical member, atreadle, a member associated with the treadle and to which the other endof the flexible member is connected, an inextensible member within theflexible member and connected between the treadle and rthe secondcylindrical member whereby the members may be drawn, together tocompress the spring to permit the motor to move into operative relationto the wheel of the machine by its own weight.

6. In a sewing machine provided with a driving wheel, and a motormounted to' swing about an axis adjacent to the wheel and to be held inoperative relation to themounted adjacent to the motor and opera-`tively connected thereto, a treadle, a second expansible member mountedadjacent to thel treadle, a flexible tube connected between theexpansibleNmem'bers and filled with a Huid, a spring adapted to compressthe second expansible member to force fluid into the first expansiblemember to distend the same and lift the motor out of operative relationto the wheel of the machine, and a connection between the secondexpansible member and the treadle for overcoming the effect of thespring, when the treadle is actuated, to distend the second expansiblemember and" allow fluid to flow out of the hrst expansible member topermit the motor to Jfall into operative relation to the wheel of themachine.

7. In a sewing machine mounted upon a table and provided with a drivingwheel, the combination of a support adapted,r to be mounted above orbelow the table, a motor Y mounted upon vthe support and adapted to beheld in operative relation to the wheel of the machine by its ownweight, a bracket' attached to the supporta lever mounted upon thesupport in operative relation to the motor,means between the bracket andthe lever for forcing them apart to lift the motor out of operativerelation to the wheel of the machine, and means under the control of anoperator for overcoming the effect of said last named means to permitthe motor to move into operative relation to the wheel of "the machineby its weight.

8. In a sewing machine mounted upon a table and provided with a drivingwheel, the combination of a support adapted to bemou-nted above or belowthe table, a motor mounted upon the support and adapted to be themachine by its own weight, a bracket attached to the support, a levermounted. upon the support in operative relation to the motor, andprovided at its ends with lateral extensions having apertures therein,means mounted between the bracket and one 'of the extensions forswinging the lever to mounted above or below the table, a motor mountedupon the support and adapted to be held in operative relation to thewheel of the machine byits own Weight, a bracket attached to the supportand provided with an aperture, a lever mounted upon the support inoperative relation to the bracket' and provided at its ends withAlateral extensions having apertures therein, means mounted held inoperative relation to the wheel'of between the bracket and one of theextensions' for swingingJ the lever toy lift the motor.v out ofoperativerelation to the wheel of the machine, said means being provided withportions adapted to enter the apertures in the bracket and the lever tohold the means in place, and mechanism under the control of an operatorwhereby the lifting effect of said means may be overcome to permit themotor to move into operative relation to the wheel of the machine by itsown weight.

In testimony whereof we arlix our signatures.

DAVID s. MAIMI'N. THoMAs vEircH.

